Published: January 30, 2008 11:53 am      

Garrett officials have concerns over proposed lake zoning change

OAKLAND - Though the Garrett County Planning Commission has requested that the county commissioners make an amendment to the definition of hotels and motels in the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance, the commissioners have some concerns with the proposal.

"Can I ask specifically what those objections were?" Kevin Potter, owner and innkeeper of Point View Inn, asked the commissioners at their meeting Tuesday. "It was voted unanimously by the planning commission and sent to the county commissioners. ... It's my understanding then that the unanimous decision of the planning commission did not satisfy your requirements in this specific case."

Denny Glotfelty, commission chairman, said that the commission wants to make clear differentiation between condominiums and hotels.

The commissioners looked over the proposal presented Jan. 8, which would allow kitchen areas in hotel/motel rooms without making such a room a "dwelling unit." The planning commission felt there is a distinct difference between a hotel room with a kitchen unit and a zoning-designated dwelling unit.

Glotfelty said that there had been some question over the size of the kitchen unit within the room. Commissioner Fred Holliday agreed and said that there was also an issue over the specific size of the hotel/motel room.

According to Monty Pagenhardt, the proposal first came from Point View Inn, LLC, when the group wanted to realign Deep Creek Drive. He said that although the petition to realign the road was closed, the portion of the petition for definition of kitchens and room sizes remains an issue that other area businesses have pursued.

The planning commission recommended the ability to include kitchens within hotel or motel rooms as long as there are limitations on the room size, length of stay, minimum parking standards and minimum land-area requirements incorporated into the amendment.

These limitations include that length of stays do not exceed four consecutive months and the room must be open to the public, contain a public office and guest registration office with guest room and suites, and not have individual utility connections metered separately to individual guest rooms and suites.

Potter questioned why progress on this topic is moving so slowly. He said that renovations and upgrades to Point View Inn are at a halt for this reason. He questioned Glotfelty's ability to keep an open mind, based upon either a dislike for one of the owners of Point View or favoring others who would be opposed to the inn's original plans for upgrades.

Glotfelty denied that he is in any way influenced by either Hugh Umble, who was an opponent to the realignment of the road, or by John "Smiley" Kessler, who has plans to construct a water park hotel near the fairgrounds in McHenry.

As for opinions on a specific owner of the Point View Inn, Glotfelty said that "it's been difficult keeping an open mind. I have to step back for a couple of days, and then I go with an open mind. That's why I'm looking out for Garrett County - not just Point View."

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.